AMBER
by marnie2598
Summary: When a mysterious woman walks into Spencer's life, he is swept off his feet, only to fall flat on his face when a certain Unknown Subject turns up...
1. Chapter 1

Spencer hated clubs. They were noisy and disruptive, he couldn't even read the book he had brought with him. He couldn't believe he had actually allowed the girls to manipulate him into coming tonight. He had a bunch of paperwork on his desk that needed to be done, but instead of working on it, he was at a nightclub with his coworkers.

"Come on, Reid! Come dance!" Emily screamed over the crowd.

"Yeah, Spencer! What are you afraid of?!" JJ said, piling on the peer-pressure. But Reid wasn't giving in so easily. He continued to shake his head no.

"Reid..." Garcia said in her most innocent sounding voice as she walked closer, so that she could whisper something he wish he hadn't heard in his ear. He deliberately got up and followed her to the dance floor.

"There he is!" Morgan said, patting his shoulder. "I can't believe they got you to come!"

"Me either."

JJ took his hands and started showing him how to dance. They danced in place for a minute before she had Reid spin her around.

Just then, a woman came up, tapping him on the shoulder.

"May I cut in?"

JJ looked at Reid impressively before releasing his hand and saying, "It's my pleasure." She gave Reid a wink before walking over to a giggling Morgan and Garcia.

"Hi, I'm Amber!" the woman said, introducing herself over the roar of the stereos.

"Spencer!"

"Nice to meet you! So, can you dance?"

Reid looked at the women as if he suspected there was a rouse involved somewhere. Did Morgan put her up to this? Her almost lime green eyes glistened off the lights of the club, bringing out the natural blonde highlights in her light brown hair. Reid couldn't help but admit she was gorgeous. Even if Morgan had set her up with him, he may as well make the best of it.

"Sure do."

* * *

"Why are you afraid of the dark?!"

"Because of the inherent absence of light!" both already laughing at his response.

They had been sitting at the bar, talking for what felt like hours. He felt so normal with her. He could let his guard down and just be himself. He liked that.

"Hey, I'm gonna go to the bathroom to freshen up. I'll be right back," she said getting up from the stool.

As she walked around the corner, Reid could see Garcia, JJ, and Emily following after her. But before he could have time to feel embarrassed about his friends, Rossi's voice snuck up from behind him.

"She's cute."

"Oh, he knows," he heard Morgan say as he came to his side.

"Hahaha! So Reid, what do you really think of this girl?" his superior, or boss, Hotch said as he walked up beside Morgan.

"I like her, I mean, she's really nice and I enjoy talking to her, but I still just hardly met her."

"Haha, okay. Sure," said a cocky looking Morgan.

* * *

The girls walking in, and immediately joined the woman who happened to be curiously mesmerized by Reid. She was leaning over one of the bathroom sinks, biting her lip while she giggled, as they walked over. Taking her by surprise, she quickly went back to reapplying her lipstick as if they hadn't seen her blushing before they came in.

"Hi, your Amber, right? I'm JJ."

"Hi nice to meet you."

"You, too. And these are my friends, Penelope and Emily. We are all friends of Reid's."

"Oh, that's cool. Do you guys work at the BAU too?"

"Yep. We all work together. We are just like one big family, and would do anything to protect each other," Garcia said with emphasis on that last statement.

"That's really cool that you are all so close..." she said trying to get herself out of the awkward situation.

"Yeah, well, I'm sure we will have nothing to worry about. You seem like a really sweet girl. Just keep in mind that Spencer is a really good guy, and part of that comes with a fragile heart. He rarely puts himself out there, but when he does, he means it. Just be careful with him, okay?" Emily said in her most genuine caring way.

* * *

"Hello, again. And how was the bathroom? I noticed you had some company," Reid said as she walked back over and returned to her stool beside him.

"Why it was lovely," she said sarcastically. "You have some really wonderful friends."

"Oh, no. What did they say?" Reid was officially worried that his 'wonderful friends' might have scared her off.

"No, no. They were nice, really," she said, reassuring him slightly.

"Well... then I'm glad," Reid said looking over to his female colleagues, slightly impressed.

Placing her head in her hand as she lent over the bar, she said "So, please finish explaining you 'absent light' theory," with a sly smile stretched across her face.


	2. Chapter 2

Reid stepped out of the cab first, standing in wait, holding the door open as she got out beside him in front of her apartment. He shut the door behind her as they walked up the steps to her porch. When they reached the top her turned to her in the total cliche he'd see in all the sappy city romances JJ and Garcia always recommended.

"I had a really great time tonight."

"Me, too. I'll admit, when I went I wasn't expecting to. Good thing I met you."

She smiled down to her feet, but he could still see her cheeks redden slightly. After shifting her weight back and forth between legs, she smiled, biting down on her lip. She looked as if she was about to run or something. Instead, she stepped forward towards him, taking his face between her hands. Their lips met and a chill of electricity shot up his back. He quickly pulled her waist closer, sliding his lips along hers. Soon, she pulled away, but still had her arms wrapped around his neck. She had a cute smile on her face, almost like she were partly embarrassed, but also partly wanted more. He figured it was his time to say something.

"So I'll call you, sometime."

"Sounds good."

She released her hold on his neck, allowing him time to turn and begin walking away before she stopped him.

"Wait! I don't have your number."

"Yes, you do. It's behind your beret."

He watched in the corner of his eye as she reached behind her ear and pulled out his business card, looking at the cell number written on the back, along with a little note from one Spencer Reid.

_It'll be _magical_ to see you again ;)_

* * *

"Good morning, Spence," JJ said greeting the youngest member of the team who was walking through the doors of the BAU. "How'd it go last night?"

"Fine. I dropped her off, and gave her my number," he said trying to hold back the prideful smirk that hid just below his lips.

"Look at you, baby boy! All grown up," Morgan said coming up behind him, patting him in the shoulder. He noticed he also had a case file in his opposite hand.

"What's the case?"

"Oh, yeah. Its a pretty bad one. Hotch wants everyone in the conference room for the briefing."

They all walked in, sitting at down at the round table, and giving their attention to JJ who was standing before them.

"Okay, guys. Looks like we've got a serial killer in our own backyard. In the last two weeks, five women have shown up dead in Memorial Park. The first victim, Chloe Tanner, was left in the walkway of the WWII Memorial," she said as the image popped up on the screen. "The second was behind Lincoln, the third was left a little off the trail of the Reflection pond, and the fourth and fifth were found randomly placed around the park."

"It'd be very hard to dump a body in such a well traveled area. Even in the middle of the night, there are a couple dozen people hanging around. How were they able to dump five women in populated places without being noticed," Rossi said with a look of bewilderment pasted across his face.

"The cops have no clue. That's why this is now officially a BAU investigation."

"They wait till five bodies pile up on federal land before calling in the FBI?" Rossi once again chimed in very confused.

"Actually, the FBI was called in on the first, but weren't sure if we would have been a use up until now. They weren't sure it was a serial killer. You know how politicians are. They don't want something like this in their hometown. Doesn't look good around election times. They were hoping it was a random spree that would stop. When the fifth victim, Amelia Garrison, showed up, they couldn't deny it any longer."

"Okay, well it sounds like we are headed for Memorial Park," said Morgan, standing up along with the others walking out the door.


	3. Chapter 3

Reid rode in the passenger side of the SUV, allowing Morgan to drive. Mostly, because he wanted to check the text he had received during the briefing. When he checked the message, an unknown number came up, but he knew who it was.

_Hello there, doctor. Do you know who I am? _

He thought it was endearing the way she teased him.

_Oh, aren't you that blonde from last week? Had a great time, by the way. ;)_

He pressed send. Maybe it wasn't the perfect retort, but given his minimal experience with this sort of this, he felt satisfied with his response. Within thirty seconds his phone lit up with a new message.

_Haha, you're funny :p_

_Oh, Amber! Oops, sorry. _

_Of course... so how's your morning going? Missing me already? _

_Actually I have a serial killer to distract me from my throbbing heart! _

_Eeek- where are you headed? _

_Down the street actually. The killer is in D.C._

_OMG! Really?!_

Reid didn't know what the phrase "OMG" meant in the vernacular... "Morgan, what does the acronym "OMG" mean?"

Morgan rolled his eyes looking at him. "Seriously? Oh My God."

"Ohhhhh..."

How was he supposed to know? Why wouldn't she just have typed it out. Its not that long. He could never understand the current fads nowadays. Apparently, people were calling it "hipster." He had even been told his socks were "hip." He still didn't know if that was a good or bad thing.

_Yeah, but don't worry. With my team on its way, D.C. will be back to normal in no time. _

_Well I'm glad I have someone like you protecting me ;) _

Reid knew he was blushing, and must have been very drastically because Morgan noticed the change.

"Hey, whats got you all up in a twist?"

"Oh-oh, its nothing."

"It doesn't seem like nothing. Who are you talking to that is making you so flustered?" he said with a mischievous smirk on his face.

There was no point in trying to hide or deny it, he might as well just deal with it now. "Well, you remember the girl from the bar last night?"

"Ohhh! Look at you, pretty boy!"

"No, no. Nothing happened. I just gave her my number, and she texted me."

"_She_ texted _you_?"

"I feel I should be insulted, but I'll admit I was surprised, as well to hear back from her, especially so soon."

"Good for you, kid."

He smiled, and opened the door as they arrived at the crime scene.


	4. Chapter 4

"So, which victim was here?" Morgan said as they stepped under the crime scene tape.

"This is where Elise Tucker was found. She was 23 years old, COD was a bullet through the forehead. Same as the others," JJ said walking up next to them.

"Well the fact that the unsub is facing their victims when they shoot shows an extreme lack or remorse. Also, there is obvious significance of the staging. He places them on or around major US monuments. The unsub is trying to display some sort of message. The extravagance suggests he may feel undervalued or ignored in his everyday life and wants to make a point of saying 'I will not be ignored.'" Reid said.

"Maybe a veteran. Maybe he feels that America didn't give him the credit he deserved, and now wants to be heard."

"Yeah, that would make sense actually. Was there any sign of sexual abuse?"

"Naw, and no signs of torture. Ligature marks on the wrists and ankles suggest that she was restrained, but other than that, no obvious physical trauma to the body."

"No sexual abuse suggests it's not about solely about dominance for him, and more for the recognition."

"But then there has to be another significance to the women if not sexual. The only thing these women have in common though is they all have the same green eyes. Other than that, they come from different socio-economic classes, different relationship status, different occupations... So what is the significance of the green eyes?"

"That's what we have figure out."

* * *

Back at Quantico, the team met back up.

"Okay, so five female victims with only one connection. Green eyes. That's pretty specific victimology. The unsubs obviously organized, and has somehow gone unnoticed while dumping the bodies. So he's smart," said Morgan walking around the circular table.

"Where do we think he is finding his victims?" Emily said while still looking over the case file in her hands.

"It could be anywhere. So far we haven't found any overlaps in the victims schedule, but Garcia is still working on it," said Hotch in his usual monotone.

"That is correct my fine furry friends," said Garcia marching into the room. "and I have once again, come to your rescue. Okay, so I looked over all of the victims recent purchases and activities and came up blank, until I found a gap in each of the victims schedules in which they were unaccounted for each day. For thirty minutes everyday, they left no paper trail. They weren't at work, they weren't at home and they were not making any purchases. So, I talked to the families and turns out they all went for almost the same exact run every morning. You wanna guess where?" she said with an excited grin.

"Memorial Park," said Morgan with a look of understanding.

"You are correct, my sir."

"So we know he's targeting women with green eyes who run in Memorial Park around the same time each morning. And, if he is following the timeline, he most likely has already selected his next victim."

"Well, the women go missing three days apart from the other, their bodies are found the next day, and so he most likely spends a day watching them, and planning the abduction. And since we found Elise's body yesterday, he is probably stalking his next target now."


	5. Chapter 5

"JJ let's get a press-conference ready to warn the women who may be matches for his victimology, and for them to take precautions until he is caught," Hotch said.

"Got it," and JJ sped out of the room.

"So we've got less than 24 hours before the next abduction, and all we have is a general where, and that he is looking for green-eyed women" said Morgan looking frustrated.

"Morgan, take Reid to the park and see if you notice anyone hanging around longer than most, or paying more attention to people. And, also ask around to see if anyone has noticed a man lingering around more than usual recently. See if anyone noticed him."

"Got it. Let's go pretty boy."

"Um, okay. I just have to make a call first," he said, speeding out of the room.

Morgan watched as he left, "Okay... what was that all about?"

Turning to the rest of the room, they all all shrugged back at him with equally flustered expressions.

* * *

"Hey, Amber. Sorry for calling you out of the blue like this, its just we are working that case in D.C. and it seems that the unsub is targeting women with green eyes... I thought of you and just wanted to warn you... and... ask you to be careful," Spencer said in a rush into the phone. He listened to her response before saying, "Okay, just please be careful and I'll call you tonight. Bye."

Okay. She was safe. She wasn't going to be the next victim. He took a deep breathe as he walked back into the room, filled with his flabbergasted colleagues.

"What's up, man?" Morgan said with a concerned expression.

"Nothing, just had to make a phone call. Let's go." He rushed back out of the room before they could ask him anymore questions. Morgan shook his head and followed Spencer out.

* * *

"It seems _no one_ has seen a man matching the unsubs profile. How is this guy doing this without a single person noticing him?" Reid said after almost an hour of surveying the park.

"Someone must have seen this guy, and probably didn't think anything of it. So he blends in, and he's normal enough to not stick out in a crowd."

"Amber," Reid almost whispered as he stared right past Morgan.

Turning around to see what had caught his eye, he said, "Amber...?"

Reid walked to meet the woman he had just spoken to about staying in today not sixty minutes ago, now walking around the crime scene. "Amber, what are doing here? You promised me you'd stay in today. For all we know, the man we are looking for is watching us right now, looking for his next target. Why are you here?"

"Well, I didn't like the idea of being victimized and forced into hiding. I can take care of myself, Spencer. Don't worry. But anyways if I wasn't staying locked up I figured I'd come and see you," she said with an adorable smile that made Reid melt.

Morgan came up behind him, the sound of him clearing his throat bringing him back from his brief daydream. "And who is this, exactly? Is she the one from the mysterious phone call?"

Reid rolled his eyes before turning to face him, beside Amber. "Amber this is SSA Morgan. Morgan this is Amber."

"Oh, yes, I think I remember you from the bar the other night!" Amber said.

"Ahh, yes. I do remember," said Morgan with a sly smile directed at Reid.

"Anyways, she was just leaving," Reid said, turning to Amber with a suggesting tone.

"Okay, I just wanted to say hi..." Reid looked over at Morgan before turning back to her, and walking her over few feet away from his smug colleague.

Reid began rambling, "I'm sorry if I am being over protective, and I know we only just met, but I feel like we really may have something and I don't want to loose you before I had you, and-" His rant was interrupted by her lips crashing forcefully against his own, before releasing shortly after.

"It's okay, Spencer. I know what you mean. So with that said, I'll talk to you later," she said before giving him a quick peck and turning to walk away.

_She was definitely an interesting woman,_ Spencer thought to himself. _A one of a kind._

As Amber drifted from view, he turned back around to see a smirking Morgan staring at him with pure enjoyment on his face.

_Great. _


	6. Chapter 6

**First of all, thank you to all the people who have read, favorite, followed, or reviewed my story! Your encouragement has persuaded me to continue this story, and to write this new chapter which I am ****_very_**** excited for! I hope you guys like it!**

**On another note, I am on Thanksgiving break which I thought would mean 5 days of writing. Unfortuneately for me, many of my teachers thought break would be a great time to assign our semester projects, and now I have about 5 assignments due this Monday, as well as a final... sooooo... i will try my best to write as much as I can but I may not get as much as I had previously hoped for. Anyways, I hope you guys still enjoy this next chapter!**

**Read, Review, Enjoy!**

* * *

"Looks like pretty boys' been gettin' some loving'," Morgan grinned as he walked back over to him.

"Very funny, Morgan," he spat at him.

"Hey," he said putting his hands up defensively, but still retaining the smirk he had plastered on his face. "I'm simply impressed you had it in you!"

"It's nothing."

"Oh come on! It is not nothing. I mean, I'd believe it if it were me saying it, but you- no, it's not 'nothing'."

"She's just a girl."

"She seems more in the realm of girl-_friend_, if you ask me."

"Luckily, no one asked you!"

"Ouch," Morgan said while punching his chest, pretending to be hurt by his comment. "That's harsh, man. You really must have the hots for this one!"

"The hots?" Reid said incredulously.

"Yeah, man. The _hots_, the _chills_, the _goosebumps_. Take your pick, pretty boy. Whatever it is, you got 'em."

"I do not, and I refuse to take part in such childish objectifying of women," he said pragmatically.

"Whatever you say, man."

"Can we just get back to finding a serial killer? I find that simple than discussing relationships with you."

"Okay."

"Okay, so. We know he was able to dump the body without being noticed, and so far he hasn't shown any signs of sadistic tendencies. Also, he stalks his prey in a public setting with heavy foot traffic and still seems to be unperceived by passerby's. So he must be somewhat compos mentis, although I do believe he still suffered from some sort of psychotic break in order to cause such a sudden spree."

"So the only question is, how the hell are we going to find him before he kills again?"


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey, guys... sorry I have kinda gotten distracted... I have been reading this one fanfic that I wouldn't be surprised if everyone reading this has already read it, but its called _The Road Not Taken_ by Whatif_ifonly. First, I'd like to refer you to it if you have not yet had the pleasure of reading it. It won the Profilers choice awards for JJ/Reid fanfic and its 150 chapters... not to mention addicting... so I have been kinda wrapped up in reading that, as well as getting sidetracked on my other story that I hope you guys will like; _Help_. Anyways, I am really liking both so have gotten distracted from this story, so heres a really short update- so sorry, i have just hit a writers block with this one. I know where I want it to go, I am just having a hard time getting there. So, I apologize i just want you guys to know I haven't given up on this story yet, so heres a little chapter to help get to the next step, hopefully. **

**So sorry for the long intro, **

**Reid, Review, ENJOY!**

* * *

"Hey we just got a missing person's report about five minutes ago. She disappeared from Monument Park," JJ said, stepping down the stairs, into the bullpen.

"Who is it?" Morgan asked.

"Um... A thirty year-old woman. Brown hair... _green_ eyes. Her name is uh... Amber Johnson."

Reid's head finally popped up from the case file he had been reading at his desk when he heard the familiar name.

"Wait, let me see that," he said, walking over to take the fax out of JJ's hands. When he saw the picture of the victim, his heart dropped.

"Reid... do- do you know who she is?"

"Well, yeah. Um... Amber... I- I-" he try to stumble through his words.

"Wait, this is _that _Amber, man?" Morgan said with a look of understanding as he finally put the pieces together.

JJ, still confused, asked, "Do you know her?"

"Um, yeah. She- she was the girl I met at the bar the other night."

JJ's jaw dropped as she remembered the girl she had met only a little bit ago, feeling guilty for not remembering her face, now. "Reid... I'm so sorry..."

"Hey, man," Morgan said patting him on the shoulder with a string hand, "we have a profile this time. We won't let her be the next-" he quickly stopped himself from saying body, "victim... 'kay?"

"Yeah, uh- yeah, the profile. Um... let's go give this to Hotch..." he said walking towards the Hotch's office, without looking up from the picture, and tripping over the stairs as he walked up onto the platform. JJ rushed over to try and help him up, but he quickly brushed her office, insisting he was fine, and continuing determinedly through the SSAC's door.


	8. Chapter 8

"Don't touch me you creep!" The woman's helpless scream pierced through the dry air of the concrete room.

"Shut up! I told you to shut up!" the man screamed, hitting her across the face.

"Someone help! Please!" she cried out.

"No one is going to save you. No one is coming. Why? Because, the world is evil. The sooner you realize that the better this will be. The sooner I can end your torture."

"You Son of a Bitch! Let me go!" she continued to wail, struggling against the chains that bound her to the chair.

"Ah ah ah," he said waving his index finger like you would a child who had broken a rule, "Just accept the reality, my love. If you can accept how evil the world truly is, your suffering will end rather soon. And really, its better this way. I too had to fins out the hard way, and it turned me into the man I am today."

"You're a murderer!"

"Well, yes, but I'm rather successful at it. And really, the thing they tell you in school is to choose something that you are good at that will make you happy for the rest of your life. isn't that what I'm doing?" he said with a smile.

"You're an insane bastard that-"

Her rageful comment was halted by his fist against her face, knocking her and the chair to the floor.

"Bitch! Do you know what they have done to me? Hmm? I was a hero! I fought for my country! I thought I would return to my loving family, my wife, my house. But, no. I was not welcomed back a hero. My wife and children were gone! They left me! This country did that! They took my family away from me! If they hadn't recruited me to go to war they'd still be here! Now, i have no idea where they are! America used me, then tossed me out like old fish when they were done with me, leaving me with nothing. So better learn now, kid. The world is evil, and theres no one there to save you," he said as he leaned closer, so that she was close enough to smell the rotten stench of his breath from years of living on the streets of D.C. "Now, pretty, what's your name?"

"Go to hell!" she yelled, and spat at his face.

"Now, now. Let's behave ourselves. I'm going to ask you one more time; whats your name?"

"Get away from me!"

Losing every hint of his 'playful' tone, he screamed at her, "Tell me your name!"

With a look of painful defeat mixed with terror in her eyes, she mumbled, "Amber."


End file.
